Private dog behaviour consultation with Will Atherton in Derbyshire
Understand what is driving your dog’s behaviour—and leave with a clear route forward.
A private, one-hour behaviour consultation with Will Atherton, dedicated entirely to understanding your dog, your situation and the problems affecting everyday life.
Receive expert assessment, practical owner coaching and a bespoke approach built around the dog standing in front of us.
Nine months+
For dogs aged
One hour
Private with Will
£250
Per session
Derbyshire
Church Broughton
See how the Behaviour Clinic works.
Watch Will explain how the consultation begins, the types of behaviour it can help with and why understanding the cause of a problem matters before deciding how to change it.
One-hour private behaviour consultation with Will Atherton — £250.
When life with your dog has become increasingly difficult
You love your dog. You may simply no longer know how to help them.
Behaviour problems can gradually change the way you experience life with your dog.
Walks that should be enjoyable become stressful. Visitors arriving creates chaos. You begin avoiding certain places, people or situations because you cannot predict how your dog will respond.
Barking
Pulling
Lunging
Resource guarding
Nervousness
Unreliable recall
Overwhelmed by the world
Perhaps you have already tried several approaches.
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You have watched videos
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Tried different rewards
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Changed equipment
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Followed advice from trainers, friends, family and people online
Some things may have helped briefly. Others may have made no difference at all. And eventually, it can start to feel as though the behaviour is simply part of who your dog is.
The difficulty
Behaviour rarely exists in isolation. Your dog’s genetics, early experiences, previous learning, daily routine, emotional state and relationship with you can all affect what you are seeing today.
That is why applying the same generic technique to every dog rarely gives owners the clarity they need.
The clinic
The Perfect Canine Companion Behaviour Clinic allows Will to step back, assess the full picture and help you understand what may actually be driving the problem.
The purpose of the clinic is not to judge you or label your dog.
It is to give you clarity, practical help and an appropriate route forward.
Private, bespoke behaviour support
One hour focused entirely on understanding your dog and improving life together.
The Perfect Canine Companion Behaviour Clinic is a private, one-hour consultation with Will Atherton at the Will Atherton Canine Centre in Church Broughton, Derbyshire.
The consultation begins by listening
You will have the opportunity to explain the behaviour you are concerned about, when it began, what tends to trigger it, how frequently it occurs, what you have already tried, how it is affecting everyday life and what you would like to achieve with your dog.
Assessing the dog in front of him
Will will then assess the dog and begin identifying the factors that may be contributing to the behaviour, including emotional state, previous learning, communication, handling, daily structure, environment and understanding of what is expected.
Practical owner coaching
The session is not about making your dog behave perfectly for Will. You will be involved throughout. Will will coach your timing, handling, communication and decision-making so you understand what to do, when to do it and why it matters.
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The aim is not to force a dog through a predetermined training routine.
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Then establish an approach that is appropriate for your dog, your circumstances and your goals.
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It is to understand why the behaviour is happening.
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You will be involved throughout.
Before we can change a behaviour responsibly, we need to understand why it is happening.
Bring us the behaviour that is making everyday life difficult.
You may have one specific concern or feel as though several parts of the relationship with your dog have started to break down. The consultation will focus on the areas most relevant to you and the dog in front of us.
Reactivity and outdoor behaviour
Feel more confident when the outside world becomes difficult.
We may be able to help with the outdoor behaviours that make walks, public spaces and everyday movement feel unpredictable.
What we can help with
- Reactivity towards dogs
- Reactivity towards people
- Barking or lunging on walks
- Pulling on the lead
- Frustration around other dogs
- Poor engagement outdoors
- Unreliable recall
- Chasing or fixation
- Difficulty navigating busy environments
- Managing distance and thresholds
Behaviour at home
Create more calmness, clarity and structure in everyday life.
Your consultation can also focus on the behaviours that affect daily life inside the home.
What we can help with
- Resource guarding
- Poor impulse control
- Overexcitement
- Jumping up
- Difficulties around visitors
- Door-related behaviour
- Place training
- Settling and switching off
- Boundaries within the home
- Attention-seeking behaviour
- A breakdown in communication between owner and dog
Confidence and emotional behaviour
Help your dog feel safer and make better decisions.
Depending on your dog, we may explore the emotional patterns that sit behind the behaviour you are seeing.
What we can help with
- Nervousness
- Fearful behaviour
- Anxiety in particular environments
- Difficulty coping with new experiences
- Overdependence on the owner
- Appeasement or avoidance
- Inability to settle
- Sensitivity to people, dogs, movement or sound
- Rebuilding trust and confidence
Not every behaviour can or should be addressed in exactly the same way. Will will use the consultation to identify the most important priority and create an appropriate starting point.
Please provide full and honest details about any history of aggression, biting or serious incidents when booking. This allows the team to assess suitability and prepare for the appointment appropriately.
A thorough, practical process
From assessment to an appropriate plan of action.
A private consultation that moves from history and observation into a clear, responsible approach you can continue.
Step 1: Understanding the History
Will will talk through the behaviour, when it began, what tends to trigger it and how it is affecting your life. You will also discuss what you have already tried and what outcomes matter most to you.
Step 2: Observing Your Dog
Will will observe your dog’s body language, emotional state, engagement, communication and response to you and the environment. The aim is to gather information rather than rush immediately into training.
Step 3: Identifying the Foundations
Will will begin identifying the factors that may be contributing to the behaviour. That can include unclear communication, overstimulation, fear, frustration, previous reinforcement, handling, routine or missing training foundations.
Step 4: Establishing an Appropriate Approach
Once the situation is clearer, Will will explain where he believes the work should begin and why. The approach will be adapted around your dog rather than applying the same technique to every case.
Step 5: Practical Owner Coaching
Where appropriate, you will begin practising exercises during the session. Will may demonstrate first, but the focus is on helping you develop the skills required to continue the work yourself.
Example training areas
What may be driving the behaviour
What needs to change
What to focus on first
How to manage difficult situations more effectively
What to practise after the session
The goal is not simply to control the dog for one hour. It is to help you make better decisions when Will is no longer standing beside you.
One hour. Completely focused on your dog and your situation.
The insight, practical help and confidence to begin moving forward.
Advanced Behaviour Assessment
Go beyond the visible symptom and begin understanding the wider factors influencing your dog’s behaviour.
Private Access to Will
Work directly with Will and benefit from the judgement developed through years of working with real dogs, real owners and complex behaviour challenges.
A Bespoke Approach
Your session is shaped around your dog, your routine, your environment and your goals rather than a generic training plan.
Practical Owner Coaching
Learn how your timing, communication, handling and decisions affect the dog at the other end of the lead.
Greater Clarity
Understand which problem needs attention first and stop jumping between disconnected pieces of advice.
A Responsible Route Forward
Leave with an approach suited to the behaviour, rather than relying on shortcuts, gimmicks or unrealistic promises.
Is the Perfect Canine Companion Behaviour Clinic right for you?
The clinic is designed for owners of dogs aged nine months and over who need private support with an established training or behaviour concern.
The club may be right for you if:
- Your dog is aged nine months or over
- Walks have become stressful or difficult to manage
- Your dog reacts towards dogs, people or movement
- You are dealing with barking, pulling or lunging
- Your dog struggles with resource guarding
- Your dog becomes highly overexcited or cannot settle
- Recall is unreliable in situations where it matters
- Visitors or changes at home create difficult behaviour
- Your dog appears nervous, fearful or overwhelmed
- You have tried several approaches without lasting progress
- You want direct, private support from Will
- You want to understand the behaviour rather than simply suppress it
Suitability note
You do not need to wait until the situation reaches crisis point. Early assessment can prevent patterns from becoming further established and help you make safer, more informed decisions.
The booking information must include complete details of any bite history, aggression or serious incident. Some cases may require additional safety measures, veterinary involvement or a different form of support before an in-person appointment can proceed.
Simple, private and personalised
How to book your Behaviour Clinic.
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Choose Your Appointment
Select an available one-hour appointment through the online booking system.
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Pay at Booking
The consultation costs £250. Payment is taken in full when the appointment is booked.
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Tell Us About Your Dog
Provide detailed information about your dog, the behaviour, relevant triggers, previous training, any history of aggression or biting, and what you would like help achieving. Accurate information allows the team to prepare for your appointment safely and appropriately.
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Receive Your Appointment Details
Your consultation will take place at the Will Atherton Canine Centre in Church Broughton, Derbyshire. The full address, directions, parking details and preparation information will be sent after booking.
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Attend Your One-Hour Consultation
Bring your dog to the centre and work privately with Will on the areas most relevant to your situation.
Membership summary
Perfect Canine Companion Behaviour Clinic
£250
/ session
Private consultation with Will Atherton
For dogs aged nine months and over
One-hour appointment
£250 per session
Payment taken at booking
Maximum two adults
Bespoke behaviour assessment and owner coaching
Church Broughton, Derbyshire
Full address sent after booking
Cancellations made more than seven days before the appointment are eligible for a refund.
Assess and practise the behaviour in an appropriate environment.
The Will Atherton Canine Centre includes purpose-built environments that allow Will to observe and work through different aspects of everyday behaviour in a controlled way.
The environment used will depend on your dog, the behaviour being addressed and what can be achieved safely within the consultation.
Controlled Training Centre
Begin with fewer unnecessary distractions and assess engagement, communication, lead handling, timing, obedience foundations, the dog’s response to you and the dog’s emotional state.
Living-Room Training Environment
Work on behaviours that affect daily life at home, including calmness, place training, boundaries, impulse control, visitor routines, door behaviour, settling and switching off.
Coffee-Shop Training Environment
Carefully introduce realistic public situations and practise settling, neutrality, engagement, calmness around people, better choices around movement and distractions, and recognising and responding before the dog becomes overwhelmed.
Secure Training Paddock
Work practically on lead handling, recall, outdoor engagement, distance from triggers, threshold awareness, movement and relevant distractions, and replacing established patterns with more appropriate responses.
Private Countryside
When appropriate, skills may begin moving into the surrounding private countryside. This provides an opportunity to apply the work in a more realistic outdoor environment while maintaining suitable control and distance.
The goal is not to create a dog who performs inside a quiet building. It is to help you enjoy calmer walks, make better decisions in difficult situations and rebuild confidence in the relationship you have with your dog.
Private guidance grounded in real-world behaviour experience.
Will Atherton is a clinical canine behaviourist, the founder of WA Academy and one of the world’s most recognised dog-training educators.
His work is built around helping owners understand why dogs behave the way they do and how clearer communication, structure and leadership can create lasting change.
The Behaviour Clinic gives Will the opportunity to assess the dog in front of him rather than offering generic advice from a distance.
He can observe the details owners often struggle to see themselves: the dog’s body language, the timing of the behaviour, how the owner responds, what is being reinforced, when pressure is increasing, where communication becomes unclear and which foundations may be missing.
That experience allows the consultation to focus on the areas most likely to make a meaningful difference.
What happens after your consultation?
Some cases need one clear adjustment. Others need continued development.
For a straightforward problem, one consultation may provide the understanding and practical guidance required to continue independently.
More established or complex behaviour often requires continued practice, management and further development over time. Will will explain what he believes is appropriate based on the behaviour being addressed, your dog’s history, the progress made during the consultation, your ability to continue the work safely and the goals you want to achieve.
Where further private support would be beneficial, additional consultations can be booked. When a dog has made sufficient progress and can work safely around others, there may also be an opportunity to continue developing their skills through:
There is no expectation that every owner or dog reaches the same standard. You may want an enjoyable Saturday activity that gives your dog a meaningful outlet. You may want to improve recall and engagement on countryside walks. Or you may discover a genuine passion for gundog-inspired training and continue developing increasingly advanced skills.
The club gives you the coaching, environment and community to explore what is possible.
Related training
Perfect Canine Companion Club
Ongoing group training focused on manners, obedience, calmness, socialisation and real-world reliability.
Outdoor path
Country Canine Companion Club
Outdoor, gundog-inspired training focused on fulfilment, retrieving, searching, recall, steadiness and partnership.
Group training is not automatically appropriate for every behaviour case. Will and the team will advise when a dog is ready and which next step is best suited to them.
Real puppies. Real owners. Real progress.
See what happens when owners have a clear plan.
A weekly, in-person training club for owners who want to raise their puppy properly—and enjoy the process.
Calmer walks in 2 weeks
“We tried everything before this. The structure was exactly what we needed. Highly recommend to anyone struggling.”
Sleeping through night
“We tried everything before this. The structure was exactly what we needed. Highly recommend to anyone struggling.”
Can visit parks again
“We tried everything before this. The structure was exactly what we needed. Highly recommend to anyone struggling.”
Ready for weekly coaching that grows with your puppy?
£75 per month, per person · Max 10 owners · Saturdays 09:30
Questions, answered clearly.
Everything you need to know before you book.
What age does my dog need to be?
The Perfect Canine Companion Behaviour Clinic is designed for dogs aged nine months and over. For younger puppies, the Perfect Puppy Clinic is the more appropriate service.
How long is the consultation?
Each appointment lasts one hour. The appointment is a fixed one-hour slot.
How much does it cost?
The consultation costs £250. Payment is taken in full at the time of booking.
Who will conduct the consultation?
Your private consultation will be conducted by Will Atherton.
Where does it take place?
The clinic takes place at the Will Atherton Canine Centre in Church Broughton, Derbyshire. The full address, directions, parking details and arrival information will be sent after booking.
What behaviour problems can you help with?
The consultation may be suitable for concerns including reactivity, barking and lunging, pulling, resource guarding, nervousness, poor impulse control, overexcitement, unreliable recall, difficulties around visitors, problems settling, and a wider breakdown in communication or trust. The session will focus on the areas most likely to provide meaningful value within the available time.
Can you guarantee the behaviour will be fixed in one hour?
No responsible behaviourist can guarantee that an established behaviour will be completely resolved within one appointment. The consultation is designed to assess the problem, help you understand what is driving it and establish an appropriate approach to continue. Some issues may respond quickly. Others require continued management, training and further support.
Can reactive dogs attend?
Yes, reactivity is one of the behaviours the clinic may be able to help with. You must provide complete information about the behaviour, triggers and any previous incidents when booking. This allows the team to prepare the environment appropriately and assess whether the appointment can proceed safely.
What if my dog has bitten someone or another dog?
You must disclose all known bite history and serious incidents when booking. Please include as much detail as possible about what happened and the circumstances surrounding it. The team may contact you before confirming whether the appointment can proceed and what safety measures will be required.
How many people can attend?
A maximum of two adults can attend the consultation. This allows the people most involved in the dog’s daily care and training to hear the guidance and practise a consistent approach.
Can children attend?
Children may be able to attend depending on their age, the dog, the behaviour being addressed and the circumstances of the appointment. Please ask when booking so the team can advise whether attendance will be appropriate and safe.
What vaccinations does my dog need?
Your dog must be fully vaccinated before attending the Canine Centre. Please ensure their vaccinations are current before booking or attending your appointment.
What if my dog is unwell?
Do not bring an ill dog to the Canine Centre. Contact the team as soon as possible if your dog becomes unwell so the appointment can be discussed and, where appropriate, rescheduled.
What happens if I arrive late?
The consultation is booked as a fixed one-hour appointment. If you arrive late, the session will still finish at the originally scheduled time and the amount of consultation time available will be reduced. Please allow sufficient time for your journey and arrival.
What should I bring?
Preparation details will be sent after booking. You may be asked to bring your dog’s normal lead, suitable food rewards, any equipment currently being used, relevant veterinary or training information, videos of behaviour that may not be safe or possible to recreate during the consultation, and any muzzle or safety equipment your dog already uses.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancellations made more than seven days before the scheduled appointment are eligible for a refund. Cancellations made within seven days of the appointment fall outside the refund period.
Can I bring another dog from the household?
Only the dog booked for the consultation should attend unless the team has agreed otherwise in advance. If the behaviour relates specifically to the relationship between dogs in the same household, explain this fully when booking so the team can advise on the safest and most useful arrangement.
Stop guessing and start understanding the dog in front of you.
Book a private Perfect Canine Companion Behaviour Clinic with Will Atherton and receive one hour of bespoke assessment, practical training and direct owner coaching.
Understand what may be driving the behaviour, learn where the work needs to begin and leave with a clearer route forward.
£250
Private one-hour consultation with Will Atherton
For dogs aged nine months and over
Maximum two adults
Payment is taken at booking. Cancel more than seven days before the appointment to qualify for a refund.